Niger: journalists freed after eight months behind bars
Breaking news. Youssouf Seriba and Oumarou Kané, two Nigerien journalists, have been released after spending eight months in detention. They were initially arrested in November 2025 on charges of complicity in the dissemination of a document deemed likely to disrupt public order. While their release marks a significant development, several other media professionals remain incarcerated in the country.
Two prominent journalists released
Youssouf Seriba, editor-in-chief of the online newspaper Les Échos du Niger, and Oumarou Kané, director of Le Hérisson, are now free. Their release was confirmed by family members and a judicial source. The pair had been held in Kollo, near Niamey, since their arrest in late 2025. Authorities accused them of sharing a document tied to a press briefing held by the Solidarity Fund, an entity established by the military leadership.
Press freedom under continued strain
The briefing invitation had circulated on social media and was later used by supporters of deposed President Mohamed Bazoum to challenge the legitimacy of the 2023 military takeover. Despite this release, a third journalist facing similar charges remains behind bars. United Nations records indicate that 13 journalists were detained in Niger last year, as press freedom watchdogs warn of ongoing repression and restrictions under military rule.
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